


Catalyst

by Claygoji (JCJx83)



Series: Catalyst [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Bees included, Canon Compliant, Everyone is tired, F/F, Fluff, Gen, Then come read this, This contains a MAJOR spoiler for Volume 7. If you've not seen Vol7 go watch it first, Until Saturday anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2019-11-14
Packaged: 2021-01-30 11:10:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21427264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JCJx83/pseuds/Claygoji
Summary: “See?” Blake said, blinking up at Yang. “It’s okay.”“How do you do it?” Yang asked with a look that sent shock-waves through Blake’s entire being.Blake swallowed, forcing her next words out around the lump of emotion that sat in her throat, “I’m not sure what you mean.”
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long
Series: Catalyst [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1547431
Comments: 16
Kudos: 260





	Catalyst

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to The-Velociruby and my lovely GF for going over this with me.
> 
> This is just my take on how the Bee's might start to get closer. We all know it's gonna happen but I feel like they need a teeny-tiny little push. A catalyst, if you will...

“And here is your room!” Penny said as she stopped, turning to face them in an energetic flourish.

“Thanks, Penny.” Ruby said, already reaching for the door.

“Oh, this is going to be great!” Penny exclaimed, “I can’t wait to stay up all  _ night _ and catch-up on everything that has happened!”

Blake grimaced, ears swiveling down. She was glad that Penny was back, she had truly been a bright spot on a long and hard day, but spending the night listening to her never ending enthusiasm was decidedly  _ not _ what she wanted to do. She looked to Yang, finding her partner with a similar expression, dark bags rested under her eyes and her shoulders sagged forward. The lack of sleep seemed to finally be taking its toll. Even Ruby and Weiss were starting to show cracks, their normally put together and energetic tendencies slipping away, leaving walking husks in their place.

“Penny,” Ruby sighed, “I know you want to talk, and I want to talk with you too, but I’m... _ we’re _ tired. Can we maybe wait and talk about everything in the morning?”

“Yes of course, Ruby! I will wait for you to wake up then we can catch up!” Penny said, bouncing on her feet. She smiled at them all but made no move to leave.

“Okay, well, we’ll see you in the morning.” Ruby said, opening the door and holding it open for the others.

“Okay!” Penny said with a wave.

“Good night Penny,” Ruby said as everyone entered and she closed the door. She collapsed back against it and blew out a huff. “I feel like I could sleep for a year.”

Blake nodded in silent agreement, eyes already locked on the pillow that rested on the lower bed of the rightmost bunk. It surprised her just how much the room mirrored their Beacon dorm. A large window was located opposite the door, allowing the moon to paint the room in it’s blue hue. Four desks lined the walls, two on each side of the dorm. The bed’s were even bunk beds, though the construction seemed far more stable than what they once had. Being as they were made with an actual metal frame and not ropes or books.

Despite the familiarity the dorm carried a much different weight with it. It was darker, colder, and held a thicker air within. It was more barracks than dorm room. Made with cold steel and dull colors. This wasn’t a room for student’s to rest. It was a place for  _ soldiers _ to sleep.

“We’ll need to talk about everything at some point.” Weiss said as she stifled a yawn.

“Yeah, but that can wait,” Yang said, already shedding her coat and kicking her boots off. She climbed to the top bunk on the right. “Right now let’s get some sleep.”

Ruby, not bothering to take any of her clothes off, brushed past Blake and climbed onto the bed at the top of the left bunk. She stretched out on the bed and held a finger up. “Team meeting first thing in the morn…” Ruby trailed off, a loud snore replacing her voice.

“Dolt,” Weiss said, voice quiet and dripping with sleep. She popped her hair out of her ponytail and slipped into the bed below Ruby’s. “Good night you two.”

Blake’s ears twitched as Yang made an undishtingable sound and flashed a quick thumbs up from where she laid. Blake moved to the bunk that was under Yang’s, taking the time to get her boots off before she laid down. It wasn’t the most comfortable bed she had ever had but it would certainly do. She rolled onto her back, smiling at the familiar sight of Yang’s arm hanging over the edge of her bunk. WIthout so much as a thought Blake reached up, gently clasping Yang’s hand. She squeezed. “Good night, Yang.” She whispered, unsure if her partner was even still awake.

Her answer came in the way of an incredibly softly spoken, “Night, Blake.”

Had Blake not been as tired as she was she may have noticed the way her heart swelled at the words. As it were she gave Yang’s hand one final squeeze before she pulled her hand back. She rolled onto her side and closed her eyes, letting the dark take her.

* * *

Blake stirred in bed, her ears twitching in response to rustling sheets. She nuzzled her cheek into her pillow, intent to brush the sound off as one of the others turning over in their sleep. She was almost back to sleep when it happened again, this time accompanied by a shaky breath. 

_ Yang. _

Blake’s ears shot to attention, listening as Yang dropped down from the top bunk with a soft thud. The brawler paused, seemingly waiting to see if she disturbed anyone else. Blake held still, doing her best to make her ears lay down. After another moment Yang moved, quietly opening the bathroom door and going inside. 

Blake stayed in bed, eyes and ears locked onto the door her partner just vanished behind. She didn’t notice anything at first, the only sounds the soft snores from the bunk across from her as Ruby and Weiss slept peacefully on. It wasn’t exactly uncommon for Yang to take a midnight trip to the bathroom, either.

She was just about to turn back over when she heard it.

A heavy, wavering, exhale.

Blake sat up, letting the blanket fall away as she sat up and tilted her ears toward the door. She waited with bated breath, eyes closed so she could better focus on her hearing.

The sound came a second time.

By the third time, Blake was up and stealthily padding her way to the bathroom door. She paused just short of it, her hand frozen halfway between herself and the door handle. She worried her bottom lip with her teeth, unsure if she should just enter or wait for Yang to come out.

She was just about to go and wait on the bed when another ragged breath reached her ears. This one more akin to a sob than anything else. Blake opened the door and entered. Yang stood over the sink, her hands gripping it's edges with white knuckles. Her scroll sat on the side, providing a small amount of light in the otherwise dark room.

Yang's head jerked around, surprise quickly gave way to recognition, "Blake?" She whispered, as if she didn't fully trust her eyes. Blake pushed the door closed, careful to keep it from making any sound least she wake the others. She moved to stand next to Yang, hand reaching out to clasp a slick shoulder.

"Are you okay?" She asked, locking eyes with her partner. She didn't like the haunted look that sat there.

" _ I _ -," Yang started, pausing to lick her lips, as she looked back to the mirror. "I don't know."

Blake felt a tremor shake her hand.

"Dammit," Yang cursed, pulling her shoulder out of Blake's grasp as she brought her hands together. Her metal thumb rubbed tight circles into the palm of her left hand, like she had done on the farm. That felt like a lifetime ago now. "I was hoping I was through with this."

Blake felt a pang in her chest. She should have suspected this. She had broken down after they had sent Adam tumbling into his watery grave. Yang however hadn't, she had acted as Blake's grounding force. Holding and comforting her as she cried.

But Blake wasn't the only one who had faced her past that day. Yang had also exorcised a demon that day.

Blake reached out, taking Yang's hand in her own. She brought it to her lips, not even thinking about what she was doing or what it meant, before she placed a series of kisses on each of her knuckles. She heard Yang gasp and the tremors in her arm slowed.

"It's okay." Blake whispered against her hand, twisting it so she could place a kiss to the back of her palm. 

Yang shifted then, turning to face Blake instead of the mirror. She pulled her hand free and cupped Blake’s cheek. Blake leaned into the warm touch, taking a few steps forward until she was in Yang's space. She raised her own hands, taking Yang’s face within her palms and guiding her forehead down to hers. Their breaths mingled as they stood, each of them content to just bask in the warmth and safety of the other.

Eventually the remaining tremor in Yang’s hand faded away, leaving her palm warm, still, and soft against Blake’s cheek.

“See?” Blake said, blinking up at Yang. “It’s okay.”

“How do you do it?” Yang asked with a look that sent shock-waves through Blake’s entire being.

Blake swallowed, forcing her next words out around the lump of emotion that sat in her throat, “I’m not sure what you mean.”

“You-,” Yang paused, tongue flicking out to wet her lips. “You fill me with a sense of calm that I’ve never felt from anyone else. You make me feel like I can do anything, that I can just be me, and that it’s- _ I’m _ enough. I thought it would be different  _ after _ -” Yang’s voice hitched and Blake felt her heart stop.

“Yang, you don’t-”

“No,” Yang protested, then more gently, “No, I need to get it out.”

Blake nodded as tears threatened at the corners of her eyes. “Okay.”

“After Beacon I thought I’d never see you again and even if I did, I was  _ so _ sure that it would be different, you’d be different, or that it’d  _ feel _ different. Then there you were, in the last place I ever expected to see you, and nothing had changed. If anything it was  _ worse _ .”

“ _ Yang _ ,” Blake whispered, voice raw, “Why are you telling me this?”

“Had you and I not been fast enough today...I could have  _ lost _ you for a second time.” Yang took a shaky breath, “And I just need you to know that  _ I _ -that you’re  _ special _ to me.  _ Incredibly _ so.”

Blake blinked tears away. She pulled back, rising up on her tiptoes in order to place a kiss to Yang’s brow. “ _ I _ know.” She whispered, lips ghosting over Yang’s skin as she continued. “You’re special to me too, you know?” 

“Yeah, _ I _ know.”

* * *

"Well it's not  _ really _ surprising."

The hushed words fluttered into Blake's ears, causing her to nuzzle her face deeper into the warm pillow that she laid on.

"Yeah, it's not." Another voice said. "Well, what do you say we go get breakfast?"

"What about them?"

"Let them sleep. We can afford to give them an extra thirty minutes." 

Blake heard the door open followed by a surprised yelp.

" _ Salutations _ , Ruby! Are you ready to catch up!"

"Did you stand there  _ all night _ ?"

"Yes. Wasn't that what I was supposed to do?"

"I'm not sure why things like  _ this _ still surprise me."

Blake's pillow moved, shifting around until she could hide her face in Blake's hair.

"So  _ loud _ ," Yang murmured against her hair. 

Blake giggled, "She is your sister."

" _ Uh-uh _ , I disown her for waking us up."

"Are you ready to get up?" Blake asked, popping one eye open to get a look at what was going on by the door. Weiss stood, pinching the bridge of her nose, while Ruby tried to explain that waiting outside their door wasn't an okay or normal thing to do.

"Five mor-" Yang started, breaking off into a soft snore. Blake smiled, leaning up to place a kiss to Yang's cheek. She closed her eyes.

Blake couldn't help but feel like this was the start of something. The events of the previous day and last night serving as a  _ catalyst _ to propel them and their relationship forward. What exactly that entailed had yet to be revealed but Blake did know this, her heart had never felt so full. 

She snuggled closer to Yang, enjoying the way that the arm around her waist pulled her just a little bit closer. She hummed, letting the warmth and safety lull her back towards sleep 

Ruby had said they had thirty more minutes after all. 

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I hope you all enjoyed it. I know it's not much. 
> 
> As always if you have any constructive criticisms or just comments in general leave them down below. I honestly love that shit.
> 
> (Also, depending on how canon progresses on Saturday don't be surprised if an additional chapter pops up...got a couple of ideas but I need to see where pieces fall...)


End file.
